Shad Khan: President Trump is the “great divider”

Posted by Mike Florio on October 13, 2017, 9:55 AM EDT

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Three weeks ago today, President Donald Trump took the anthem controversy to a new level by essentially ordering players to stand for it — and implicitly challenging them not to. The ongoing assault from the Commander-in-Chief has left the league in a tizzy, with the NFL initially hoping that the President would move on to something else and now hoping to finally resolve the issue, as soon as next week at a previously-scheduled ownership meeting.

Not many owners have publicly criticized the President for his effort to politicize this issue. Jaguars owner Shad Khan recently did.

“You have to give Trump credit, people are confused on the First Amendment versus patriotism, that if you exercise your First Amendment you’re not a patriot, which is crazy,” Khan said Thursday at an executive conference presented by Crain’s Who’s Who in Chicago Business. “People are confused on it, [Trump] knew he could hit on it and take advantage. I think what we’re seeing is the great divider overcoming the great uniter.”

Khan, who donated $1 million to President Trump’s inaugural committee, clearly disagrees with the idea that exercising First Amendment rights is inconsistent with the concept of patriotism. The problem is that many agree with Khan, and many disagree with him.

Regardless of who’s right and who’s wrong, Khan sees a permanent shift in the way things work.

“Politics and the Western World will never be the same again,” Khan said. “A lot of the stuff like football [that] Trump does is highly calculated — he looks for issues that you can touch and it will blow people up.”

Whether the President’s strategy regarding the NFL was “highly calculated” in this case, the effort definitely has blown things up for the NFL. And the league has been unable to clean up the mess, so far.

125 responses to “Shad Khan: President Trump is the “great divider””

Like Trump or not, what Khan said is true. Unfortunately, almost all politicians are. The only time I question the intelligence of a good part of our nation is when people fail to recognize that it’s not the “democrats” or the “republicans” causing all of this, but rather both of them and their inability to compromise. In fact, if you blame the “democrats” or the “republicans” for all of the bad in our country, you my friend are drinking the coolaid yourself.

Through this controversy it dawned on me that when I watched games I never got out of my chair when the national anthem was playing. Should I have? I meant no disrespect, in hindsight it was just laziness I guess. I now stand out of respect to those that have sacrificed so much for this country. For me, this has been a learning moment.

You are blaming the thermometer for the temperature, this all started with Kaepernick, not trump, it amazes me that a Billoinare owner Neal’s during tha anthem in a foreign country yet blames trump for dividing? What has Khan done to help the disenfranchised? The answer nothing

He sat and talked through the lowering of a flag on a military base while the anthem played, but he will slap the “fake news” label on it so it won’t count. He is so patriotic. Nobody cares more for America than he does. Believe me.

Kaepernick and the players that eventually followed him are the ones that created this division. They may have not considered or underestimated the response of most fans. Common people will only take so much disruption and when you can’t tell the difference between sports and MSNBC, Fox News and sadly ESPN you get to where the NFL ratings continue to decline.

Trump’s schtick is to find wedge issues to keep his base fired up. When Trump had his chance to serve our country and flag he instead dodged the draft five times. He pretends to love the military but mocked people who did serve, our POWs for getting captured. Trump is a hustler. He likes control. And attention.

Through this controversy it dawned on me that when I watched games I never got out of my chair when the national anthem was playing. Should I have? I meant no disrespect, in hindsight it was just laziness I guess. I now stand out of respect to those that have sacrificed so much for this country. For me, this has been a learning moment.

Two things that happened in the week immediately after Trump’s original tweets: 1) That dog of a healthcare bill couldn’t get through a partisan congress 2) DHS confirmed that ballot systems in 21 states were hacked on election night (I’m not saying this is why he won…..many of the states hacked were forgone conclusion states).

But you didn’t hear too much about either one of these stories….all you heard about was the flag debate.

in my opinion, Trump’s initial comment about firing players who stand was more about himself than anything else. If you watch the video, his body language just before and at the beginning of his comment projects a “how about this one?” message…and when he got the hoped-for response from his fans, he piled on, to get more of the adulation.

the guy is a master button-pusher…..that is what he does, especially when he gets cheered for doing it.

How dare OUR President defend the National Anthem and what it stands for…the nerve of him. Snowflakes making a hero of a man who took a knee during the National Anthem who wore pig socks and a pro Castro shirt. Ya, blame Trump again its all his fault. Crazy

rams645 says:
October 13, 2017 at 10:08 am
You are blaming the thermometer for the temperature, this all started with Kaepernick, not trump,
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Actually, this all starts with Dr. Harry Edwards. Look him up on Wikipedia. But he’s managed to keep his name out of the press while letting Kap shoulder the blame.

The issue was dying and this buffoon steps up to the plate again. Take away the free
air time of the players and the media asking questions and it goes away. Why haven’t a group of players or owners bought air time to explain their position? When it’s free they have all sorts of comments, if they had to pay….well nothing.

Welp, thanks for the ride NFL.. I’m getting out here. I’ll watch College ball. You have become that whiny person with the annoying voice you’re stuck in the car with that talks to much about things they know nothing about. I’m sick of you!

So let me get this right, the people that disrespected the flag and the anthem didn’t divide this country but the president that wants everyone to respect the countries symbol did? Yea makes total sense.

1phillyphan says:
October 13, 2017 at 10:25 am
How dare OUR President defend the National Anthem and what it stands for…the nerve of him. Snowflakes making a hero of a man who took a knee during the National Anthem who wore pig socks and a pro Castro shirt. Ya, blame Trump again its all his fault. Crazy

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fair enough. I’m curious though, how do you rationalize Trump’s comments about decorated POW John McCain?

I love the hypocrisy in it all. You have trump who is privileged as they come, who dodged the draft and if you know anything about the Vietnam war, someone had to go in his place. Most likely it was a poor African-American man due to the systematic racism that is still alive in well in the country. The players take a kneel in protest to nothing more than the systematic racism that their peers face on a daily basis and somehow this coward turns it into a disrespect for the the military and flag which he has shown that he will not stand up for.

This issue became politicized the second Cap took and knelled during the anthem. The First Amendment doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to disrupt the national anthem. Smart people know the overwhelming reasons for inequality aren’t the police, but the conditions we see in places like Chicago. The players are losing, and nothing will change until socioeconomic factors are addressed. When was the last time a rich professional athlete protested gang violence?

who is this guy that pretend to be a judge & jury to a President that is demanding respect to our country flag & national anthem and allow his players disrespect with Unpunished our flag & national anthem?

Objectively, everybody needs to review Trumps military record, his charitable efforts for veterans, his attacks on POWs and Gold Star families, and the footage of him sitting or talking right through the anthem…then make your conclusion about what he actually cares about

bobthebillsfan says:
October 13, 2017 at 10:07 am
Through this controversy it dawned on me that when I watched games I never got out of my chair when the national anthem was playing. Should I have? I meant no disrespect, in hindsight it was just laziness I guess. I now stand out of respect to those that have sacrificed so much for this country. For me, this has been a learning moment.

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Simple. If you’re not physically present for the flag and the anthem being played, you don’t need to stand.

Please stop deflecting from Trump by saying Kaepernick was some type of original divider. The President swears to uphold the Constitution. The Constitution does not require bowing down to nationalistic symbols. The President violates the Constitution when he attempts to require goose step obedience through coerced patriotism.

Trump didn’t invent divisiveness. It’s the oldest trick in the political handbook. It works best on the least educated minds. Trump even said during the campaign that he liked uneducated voters. (Gee really). He’d shut down the schools if he could.

Step 1: Joint announcement from NFL and NFLPA that all players have agreed to stand for the anthem.
Step 2: All owners announce that Trump and his administration are banned from NFL stadiums.
Step 3: Continue profiting.

Banning Trump wouldn’t address the problems the players have, but it would be a more unified statement and just as symbolic as kneeling.

Just another case of Trump finding a situation to divert attention away from his other failings. Everything he has done so far is strictly by Executive Order. He is inept at understanding and passing legislation.

The media blew this up as a cash cow story. Look no futher than the pregame last night bunch of clowns talking about their suits. Again like all politics yer not changing anyones minds. Your just throwing fuel on a fire. IMO, there are many ways to protest and many things the players can do. I do not think this way of doing it has accomplished anything.

How about addressing the underlying causes of those socioeconomic factors? For example, generations of substandard education. Generations of substandard housing. Generations of substandard employment. You can’t just say everything became equal the second the Civil Rights Act was passed.

peytonwantsaflag – Give the at work thing a rest. Neither the NFL nor any team are your employer, they are not your workplaces. Why do you care about what happens there? And, would like the players coming to your workplace and dictating your behavior?

Maybe Shad should read the NFL rules manuel… specifically section a62-63 where it says all players must be present for the anthem and should be standing…… or there could be fines, suspensions or loss of draft picks

I think a better way to look at it is that the fans have paid their ticket money, and the networks have paid their contracts, to see a football game. Not a protest. Doing so violates an agreement. I no more expect to see the actors promote a protest before a play, or the musicians before a symphony. (Rock groups tend to have their own rules) The owners/league spent a lot of time & money getting spectator eyes on the game and the players are taking advantage of that. I absolutely support and endorse the players taking a stand on their own time & dime. Simply put, I didn’t pay to watch your social agenda. (and I’m a liberal who agrees with Kapernick that there is a problem and who has gone to a few rallys in my time.) There is a right time and a place for everything, and this isn’t it.

anyone care to discuss Trump and Hannity sitting, talking, and making jokes while the flag is being lowered and the bugler played “Retreat”, on Wednesday evening at a PA Air National Guard base?

Go to a Boy Scout or Cub Scout camp or jamboree….in the evening (or at the end of the event), when the flag is lowered, the entire camp gathers for the colors to be lowered, and “Retreat” is played. Everyone in uniform salutes the flag, everyone not in uniform stands with hand over heart.

peytonwantsaflag – Give the at work thing a rest. Neither the NFL nor any team are your employer, they are not your workplaces. Why do you care about what happens there? And, would like the players coming to your workplace and dictating your behavior?

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so by that logic if I come to your workplace and I order a cheeseburger and fries and you proceed to lecture me on how unfair your life is and how it’s my fault your so downtrodden I wouldn’t have the right to ask your supervisor to tell you to knock it off?

No one protested the flag…they protested social injustice…instead of a decent argument to counteract it people just say they are disrespecting the flag. Is the flag something that represents social injustice?

Just curious, does anyone realize that Trump has absolutely zero authorty over any of this? That its the owners decision what to allow at games and no one or nothing (IE not 1st amendment) has any bearing at all? I realize Trump doesnt understand that, but does anyone else? What if everyone dismissed his noise over this as just that, noise? I have a parrot that squawks all day but I have learned to just tune it out and go about my business without hearing any of it.

Kneeling for the national anthem was supposed to start a conversation about social injustices. Instead, some of you fools have taken it as a slight against America. It’s somewhat crazy because people violate flag codes everyday ex: Astros player being showered in champagne in an American Flag Speedo. Isn’t that a violation of the flag code? Or does disrespecting the country only pertain to people of color, the ones who were forced into this country and built it?

So kaepernick, who supports radical dictators and murders decided to protest during the national anthem. Not anytime before or after it. And Trump is the divider for saying it’s disrespectful. That a special kind of stupid there

peytonwantsaflag – How do you get that the players are saying something is your personal fault? Are you so wrapped up in symbols that you take your perceived disrespect of the flag/anthem as a personal insult? Perhaps developing some self-esteem would improve your life.

345snarkavenue says:
October 13, 2017 at 10:39 am
1phillyphan says:
October 13, 2017 at 10:25 am
How dare OUR President defend the National Anthem and what it stands for…the nerve of him. Snowflakes making a hero of a man who took a knee during the National Anthem who wore pig socks and a pro Castro shirt. Ya, blame Trump again its all his fault. Crazy

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fair enough. I’m curious though, how do you rationalize Trump’s comments about decorated POW John McCain?

Khan seems to be the confused one. My employer has every right to fire me for wearing the wrong outfit, being late, not working, let alone me using company time to protest something. Not to mention if my protesting hurt the business a great deal.

cardinealsfan20 – didn’t really say that, I was taking your argument to it’s logical conclusion. I’m not personally insulted at all, I’m just saying, that I -as I believe most of us on my side of the fence are – am tired of the frigging chatter. The whining and complaining has got to stop, especially from those (whatever their color) that have it better than anyone has ever had it in the history of the world. It’s a great country, with yes some major flaws and the way to start to fix those flaws is not with pissing and moaning about “rights” it’s about changing lives one at a time and no life has ever, EVER, been changed by blaming other people for you problems.

peytonwantsaflag – There’s a difference between a McDonald’s employee protesting across the counter to your face and watching players who are hundreds of miles away for two minutes on television. Are you really so sensitive about something that means nothing to you that you can’t handle a couple of minutes of television?

Meanwhile in the REAL world, the US economy is at an ALL TIME HIGH and the NFL ratings are down 7.42% since 2016 and down 18% since 2015. For a supposedly good business man and not someone who just got lucky with car bumpers, Khan is ignorant for alienating half of his business investors. The soft owner/moron who hired Gus Bradley, is now letting inmates run the asylum while watching his NFL revenues crumble to the ground.

The only great divide is the Atlantic Ocean that Shad Khan is so eager cross with his sports team. Khan wants out of Jacksonville, out of America……and onto foreign soil where he and his players can kneel in contempt of Old Glory without any interference.

Cardinealsfan20- doesn’t really bother me at all honestly I don’t turn on the TV until kickoff anymore. I guess what’s most irritating to me is that I can’t enjoy pregame or even commentary anymore about football and I have every right to feel that way. Anyway but if this is so a
Innocuous as you seem to claim it is what’s the point?

Anyone that isnt a total political hack can see Trump v. the NFL was highly calculated.
If you dont think so you just cant bring yourself to admit Trump can be calculating because you think his calculations end at 2 + 2 = 4

Stop comparing your workplace to theirs. Theirs is an anti-trust exempt sports league that gets tons of money from the DoD as well as loads of tax breaks for building stadiums. That makes them not-your-average-private-corporation.

But just to put your worried mind at ease, people protest at their workplace ALL THE TIME. When workers feel they are being treated unfairly, they walkout, go on strike, wear pins, whatever. So please don’t pretend that the workplace is some sacred bastion of fascism.

I truly believe Trump is acting out of spite because he never said a word until the white players started to kneel after Charolette. Anyone else notice this? Wasn’t it Chris Long who started kneeling with his hand over his heart?

President Trump stood in front of Old Glory and defended the Nazi’s my relatives died fighting against. You couldn’t have brought more disrespect to the flag if you had called a POW a loser, Oh wait… Trump is an embarrassment to the Country and all of humanity.

“Kaepernick and the players that eventually followed him are the ones that created this division.”

People who believe that show that there are those who really have the priviledge to live life in their own little bubble, not being affected by anything. This ‘division’ existed long before Kaepernick.

Hey NFL–what’s the reason you play the national anthem before your games? I suspect you initially played the anthem to honor and respect the country and those who have served. Now, whether you like it or not, players kneeling during the anthem in protest (regardless how legitimate the protest) disrespects the country and those who served, negating the purpose for the anthem in the first place. If you can’t meet the purpose of playing the anthem, don’t play it before your games anymore.

why won’t any of you Trump apologists address Trump & Hannity sitting, talking and making jokes, Wednesday evening at a PA Air National Guard base, while the flag was being lowered and “Retreat” was being played by a bugler?

Convention demand they stand with hand over heart, yet they sat, talked, and made jokes.

“You have to give Trump credit, people are confused on the First Amendment versus patriotism, that if you exercise your First Amendment you’re not a patriot, which is crazy,” Khan said Thursday at an executive conference presented by Crain’s Who’s Who in Chicago Business.

Khan is absolutely right. The First Amendment gives anyone the right to say anything. Now why would people be confused and think that if someone exercises their First Amendment rights they’re also bigots and racists? That’s crazy.